20 Adorable Cats Who Made Video Game History
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1. Cat Jeane from No More Heroes
The world’s most murderous punk rock assassin still has a soft spot for this cuddly critter. The best cat for the best hit man.
2. Taokaka from the BlazBlue series
One of the hardest fighting characters to learn, Taokaka also proves the most lethal. Her innocence and happy-go-lucky attitude fly right in the face of her menacing features.
3. Gato from Chrono Trigger
This stray robot cat’s got more strut than Brian Setzer. He may not seem like much, but this early foe is literally indestructible. He’s a sweetheart, too.
4. Pix the Cat
The unholy love child between Pac-Man and Nyan Cat just joined the gaming world last fall, but Pix’s frenetic feline maze running has already earned her (him? it?) a slot in the pantheon of paws.
5. Socrates from Odin Sphere
Hands down the most adorable cat in any game. In the first 10 seconds, Alice scoops this black ball of love into her arms, and he just droops there like a sack of dough. We challenge you not to melt into a puddle of awwws.
6. Cat Suit Mario from Super Mario 3D World
It's a controversial power up in the gaming world, but the cat suit is unrivaled in delivering sheer excitement among modern Mario fans. It’s worth every penny just to hear the mascot meow in Italian.
7. Kleiner’s Cat from Half-Life 2
Okay, okay. So you never actually see this cat in the game, but his absence is sorely felt after a tragic teleporter mishap. KC, we hardly knew ye, but we knew you mattered.
8. Bubsy
Bubsy’s not exactly beloved for his eponymous games, but can you imagine a world without him? One of the longest running jokes in gaming culture, Bubsy’s famous for his insipid platforming, brazenly '90s ‘tude, and his quotable quips. All hail Ulillillia!
9. Rover from Animal Crossing
Rover’s the official greeter when you fire up Animal Crossing, but his outwardly friendly face hints at something darker beneath the surface. With those blood red eyes, he’s by far the creepiest cat this side of Strangers on a Train.
10. Catfish from Castle Crashers
In a game crammed with colorful creatures, the catfish boss still stands out with its unbridled ferocity. It looks like a mutant cat just swallowed Ed Roth’s radioactive Rat Fink. Which makes it certifiably badass.
11. Kabegami from Okami
The only cat on this list that’s an actual god, Kabegami bestows Amaterasu with wall climbing prowess. But more importantly, she also treats the loquacious Issun to a well-deserved smack down.
12. Toro Inoue, the Sony Cat
Toro stays out of the spotlight in the west, but he’s literally Sony’s mascot in Japan. We’ve recently seen him in some stateside scratch-ups though, including PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Let’s hope he sticks around.
13. Mao from Shadow Hearts
Mao’s a booze-guzzling female feline who’s also a film director. AND she’s pals with Al Capone. Yes, that’s a real sentence that describes a real character in Shadow Hearts. Go play it. Now.
14. Fat Cat Robot from Chip ‘N Dale 2
Fat Cat’s screen-filling sentinel towers above you with an imposing presence rivaling a Mega Man end boss. In the future, we’ll all be fighting against robo cats designed by Boston Dynamics ... and wonder how we missed this harbinger of the apocalypse.
15. Katt Monroe from Star Fox
While not as famous as the other pilots in the Lylat system, she’s generated her fair share of fervent fan art. According to series lore, Katt and Falco might have had a fling in the past. But don’t Google it. Just trust us on this one.
16. Orphaned Kitten from Shenmue
After her mother gets run over by a car, she bonds with Ryo, who’s also an orphan with murdered parents. And now we're weeping. Thanks, Shenmue.
17. Dusty from Gravity Rush
In games, cats often bestow powers, and Dusty wields the best of them: gravity manipulation. As the star of one of Sony’s most memorable games, Dusty singlehandedly delivers the best reason to own a Vita.
18. Socks from Socks The Cat Rocks the Hill
Based on Bill Clinton’s pet cat, this 16-bit title got canned just before it shipped, amid rumors that its satirical political undertones contributed to its demise.
19. Meowth from Pokemon
Partially inspired by the Japanese Maneki Neko figure, Meowth might be one of the most popular characters in the entire Pokémon franchise. This furry fella lives up to his lucky heritage, generating gold for players and Nintendo alike.
20. Cait Sith from Final Fantasy VII
Technically Cait Sith is a secret Shinra executive and not a cat. But a human being remote controlling a cat who’s riding a moogle in one of the best Final Fantasy games of all time? Well, that certainly warrants a mention.